Multistate Conservation Grant

This program provides funding for sport fish and wildlife restoration projects and recruitment, retention and reactivation (R3) projects that address regional or national priority needs of State fish and wildlife agencies and their partners that are beyond the scale, scope, and capabilities of a single State. The priority needs, also known as Strategic Priorities, are identified annually by the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (AFWA) with input from State fish and wildlife agencies and their partners. Recipients awarded Traditional Multistate Conservation Grants (T-MSCG) may use the funds for wildlife or sport fish projects involving research, restoration, conservation and management of wild birds, wild mammals, sport fish, and their habitats. These funds may also be used for projects providing for public use and benefit from these resources, including hunter safety education, aquatic education, angler R3 projects and other purposes consistent with the enabling legislation. Recipients awarded R3 Multistate Conservation Grants (R3-MSCG) may use the funds for hunting and shooting sports R3 projects that promote a national hunting and shooting sport recruitment program, including related communication and outreach activities. Multistate Conservation Grants are awarded by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), and the Service and AFWA work cooperatively to manage the program.

Eligibility is limited to: 1) Agencies with lead management responsibility for fish and wildlife resources in each of the 50 States, the District of Columbia, Commonwealths of Puerto Rico and the Northern Mariana Islands, and the territories of American Samoa, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, or a group of these agencies; 2) The Service, only for the purpose of carrying out the National Survey; or 3) Non-governmental organizations (NGOs). NGOs including educational institutions that are invited to submit full proposals must submit a certification that their organization will not use grant funds to fund, in whole or in part, any activity that promotes or encourages opposition to the regulated hunting or trapping of wildlife or the regulated taking of fish in their application. Proposed projects must address traditional sport fish or wildlife restoration projects or recruitment, retention and reactivation (R3) projects that address regional or national priority needs of State fish and wildlife agencies and their partners that are beyond the scale, scope, and capabilities of a single State. The priority needs, also known as Strategic Priorities, are identified annually by AFWA with input from State fish and wildlife agencies and their partners. Only projects that propose benefits to sport fish, wild birds and/or wild mammals are eligible. Proposed projects must also benefit: 1) At least 26 States or; 2) A majority of the States in a Service Region; or 3) A majority of States in a regional association of State fish and wildlife agencies.
Only projects that propose benefits to sport fish, wild birds and/or mammals are eligible. Proposed projects must also benefit: 1) At least 26 States or; 2) A majority of the States in a Service Region; or 3) A regional association of State fish and wildlife agencies.

Projects must benefit at least 26 States, a majority of States in a Region of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, or a majority of States in a Regional association of State fish and wildlife agencies.

The Notice of Funding Opportunities (NOFO) for this listing will be posted on Grants.gov. Contact the Headquarters Office for application deadlines. 2 CFR 200, Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards applies to this program.

The Director of the Service will select projects for funding from a priority list of projects recommended to the Service by AFWA based on technical review criteria.

Approval of awards by the Service is anticipated before January 2026; however, this time frame depends on the NOFO publication date and application deadlines. Contact the Headquarters Office for application deadlines.